


Moments in Time

by TRPLKIM (zouology)



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst, I guess!, M/M, alternative universe, nothing much happens it's a drabble, some drinking and some kissing ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 07:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16445063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zouology/pseuds/TRPLKIM
Summary: “What if we run away?” Hanbin blurts out and it’s so ridiculous that Jinhwan is sure he’s heard it wrong. But Hanbin keeps staring at him expectantly like he’s waiting for a real answer.“What are you talking about?” Jinhwan laughs a little, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.





	Moments in Time

It’s Hanbin who finds Jinhwan, of course. It seems like he has a special radar just for the elder, always manages to find him, no matter where he hides himself. 

This time it’s at the deserted downstairs bar, where Jinhwan’s nursing a glass of whatever drink he could get his hands on before slipping away from the party. 

Hanbin is tired, Jinhwan can see it from the dark circles under his eyes. He has probably pulled all-nighters the entire week; Jinhwan has heard that the company has scored an important client and they can’t afford to lose them. Nevertheless, Hanbin smiles brightly when he spots Jinhwan, like he’s relieved to see him.

“Sneaked off again?” Hanbin asks, even though he already knows the answer. Jinhwan nods and smiles back almost involuntarily. It’s still the most genuine smile he has offered in at least a couple of weeks. 

“What’s that?” Hanbin asks, since Jinhwan still hasn’t said anything. Jinhwan hums and looks at the glass bottle he has taken directly from the hands of a waiter. 

“Whiskey, I think,” he replies distractedly, now swirling the content of his glass like a connoisseur. 

“Didn’t know you liked whiskey, hyung,” Hanbin says with a grin, walking closer until he’s leaning on the bar next to Jinhwan.

“I don’t. Tastes like shit,” Jinhwan chuckles and places the glass down on the marble counter. He tries to ignore how close their hands are now, how easy it would be for Hanbin to cover Jinhwan’s hand with his larger one. One look at Hanbin’s face tells Jinhwan that he’s thinking the same. “I don’t know why rich people like this,” Jinhwan says instead, gripping the glass tighter to stop himself from reaching for Hanbin.

“It’s expensive,” Hanbin replies easily, puts his hand in the pocket of his tailored suit to avoid doing the same. There’s a pause. It’s long enough that it should be awkward, but both of them are too preoccupied with their own thoughts, trying to figure out carefully what they should say, even though it’s not what they actually _want_ to say.

“They’re looking for you,” Hanbin says eventually, breaking the silence and revealing the real reason he was there in the first place.

“So what, they sent you to fetch me?” Jinhwan snorts and rolls his eyes. 

“Something like that. I guess they figured you have a soft spot for me,” Hanbin teases, but his eyes are soft. They both know it’s true. “ _It’s less likely that he’s gonna put up a fight_ ,” he adds, doing his best impression of Yunhyeong’s voice.

Jinhwan giggles, mostly because he’s fond of Hanbin and not because the impression is particularly good. Still, he won’t tell him that. 

“Fine,” Jinhwan relents, but not before downing the remaining whiskey in his glass. 

“To get through the night,” he tells Hanbin in lieu of an explanation. He knows how to hold his alcohol and anyway, everybody knows by now that he has to be a little drunk to be agreeable the entire evening without making a scene. 

Hanbin just sighs and hold his hands up in surrender. “Right. Let’s go, hyung.”

The walk to the stairs is silent and slow, unnecessarily so, just to extend the little time they have left in private. But, before Jinhwan can climb on the first step, Hanbin grabs him by the arm and pulls him back to the hallway on the left. 

The light is dim there, the area not meant for the guests to visit. Jinhwan is a little taken aback by the boldness of the gesture, so he follows Hanbin and lets himself be pushed to the closest wall. 

Hanbin crowds him and Jinhwan knows the kiss is coming. Still, he doesn’t move away, even though what they’re doing is reckless and so _so_ stupid. Anyone could walk on them and Jinhwan shivers from the thrill it gives him.

Hanbin kisses him desperately, cupping his face with a hand while the other is still gripping his arm, like he’s afraid that Jinhwan will run off if he lets him go. 

_As if_ , Jinhwan thinks, this is _exactly_ where he wants to be. So, he closes his eyes and kisses back with fervor, trying to convey everything he can’t tell Hanbin with the force of it. He kisses Hanbin like it’s the last time, because it could always be, after all, they’re not supposed to do it in the first place.

When he feels Hanbin move away, Jinhwan can only think that it was too short-lived. He opens his eyes again and immediately presses his fingers to Hanbin’s lips when he knows the younger is about to apologize, like he does each time. 

Hanbin is a little bashful at that and lowers his eyes. Jinhwan can't help but think it’s kind of endearing that it makes Hanbin look his age, finally, young and free of the burden of his responsibilities. 

Spurred on by the adrenaline rush, Hanbin kisses Jinhwan’s fingers and pulls back with a small smile. 

He doesn’t go far, just puts enough distance between them so he can look properly into Jinhwan’s eyes and takes the elder’s hands in his.

“What if we run away?” Hanbin blurts out and it’s so ridiculous that Jinhwan is sure he’s heard it wrong. But Hanbin keeps staring at him expectantly like he’s waiting for a real answer. 

“What are you talking about?” Jinhwan laughs a little, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m serious, hyung. Just you and me. We get ourselves passports, Donghyuk knows a guy,” Hanbin says, lowering his voice. His eyes are wide and a little frantic, like he’s trying to convince Jinhwan that it’s feasible and not something taken directly from their wildest fantasies. “We pack our bags, leave and start from scratch. New identities. New lives. We can get a house and… and even a dog.”

“And what,” Jinhwan starts, looking away with a bitter smile on his face. “In this scenario, we are together?”

Jinhwan is teasing him, Hanbin knows, but his cheeks heat up nonetheless. “Well, uh. We could be. Or, we can be whatever you want. Friends. Even brothers, if you’d like.”

Jinhwan grimaces at that and looks at Hanbin again, scans his face carefully. “Are you fucking with me?” he asks, voice light, likes he’s waiting for the punchline. He squeezes Hanbin’s hands and waits, eyes pleading.

 _He’s giving me a way out_ , Hanbin realizes and his heart drops. Jinhwan must not want this. Hanbin wants to shout _Hyung, I’m serious about this_ and _I’ve been in love with you since I met you_ but he’s been a coward all these years and not much has changed.

Hanbin forces a smile on his face and lets go of Jinhwan’s hands, waving his own around awkwardly. “Yeah. I got you, didn’t I?” he shrugs and that’s that. They go back to the party, pretend that the conversation never happened and that they’re happy like this. 

Maybe it’s better this way, Jinhwan thinks as he plays with the gold band around his ring finger. He has nothing to lose by running away, hates his life the way it is, hates the marriage he got himself into, hates the man he’s supposed to love. 

But Hanbin. He has so much potential, so many opportunities that are waiting for him in the company. He’s talented, driven, determined, all qualities Jinhwan fell for and they cannot go to waste just because of him.

It _is_ better this way, Jinhwan convinces himself. Maybe before Hanbin eventually moves on and gets over him, he can still steal a couple of bruising kisses in a dark hallway at the next company party. 

He can survive all of it, the sadness, the constant heartache, the idleness of his own life, just waiting for those moments in time with Hanbin.

**Author's Note:**

> hello! i wrote this on the spur of the moment in a couple of hours, hope you like it! 
> 
> feedback is always appreciated!  
> you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/vhology) and [cc](https://curiouscat.me/vhology)!


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